watchOS is the operating system of the Apple Watch, developed by Apple Inc. It is based on the iOS operating system and has many similar features.[5] It was released on April 24, 2015, along with the Apple Watch, the only device that runs watchOS. Its API is called WatchKit.
The second version, watchOS 2, included support for native third-party apps and other improvements, and was released on September 21, 2015.[6][7][8] The third version, watchOS 3, was released on September 13, 2016, emphasizing better performance and including new watch faces and stock apps. The fourth version, watchOS 4, was released on September 19, 2017. The fifth version, watchOS 5, was released on September 17, 2018,[9] adding more third-party support and new workouts, along with the “Walkie-Talkie” feature.[10] The sixth version, watchOS 6 was announced on June 3, 2019.
The home screen (rendered by and also known as "Carousel")[5] is composed of circular applicationicons, which can be zoomed in and out with the Digital Crown and dragged and launched by touching the display. Many of the apps are miniaturized, simplified versions of their iOS counterparts.
Prior to watchOS 3, Glances provided fast access to a summarized view of the most popular native or third party applications used on Apple Watch.[11] The Glances view was opened with a swipe up gesture from the watch face screen. With watchOS 3, Glances has been replaced by a redesigned Control Center - much like the one in iOS. The friends menu, invoked with the side button, now acts as a dedicated dock for apps.
Different actions and options appear depending on if the user taps or deep presses which an Apple Watch detects with its pressure-sensitive (Force Touch) Display.[12]
For several years now, Apple has been developing its HealthKit product in a bid to change the way people interact with their devices. There is also a conscious attempt to penetrate the lucrative healthcare and wellness industry, which many observers believe to hold huge growth opportunity for Apple.[13] This was confirmed by Jony Ive, Apple's chief designer, in an interview. He said that health was a crucial element in the Apple Watch since the day of its inception and that the developmental trajectory of the hardware and the watchOS were geared towards health-based capabilities.[14] Ive pointed out that that one of the primary apps that shipped with the first watchOS allowed users to track and communicate as well as encourage them to move, exercise, and stand. He said:
Many of us have our phones with us all the time, but they aren’t connected to you. Imagine having something this powerful with you at all times, and what opportunities that might present to the user. The opportunity is phenomenal. Particularly when [you] don’t understand just where we are today in terms of technology and capability, but where we are headed.[14]
One of the most recent updates to the watchOS included applications that do not only keep users active but also diagnose illnesses. For example, there is the app called DeepHeart, a deep learning network that can detect atrial fibrillation, hypertension, sleep apnea, and diabetes.[15] It taps the HealthKit platform to collect data, particularly those collected by the Apple Watch's heart sensor.
WatchOS 5 was first shown to the public at the San Jose WWDC developer conference held by Apple. It had an instant watch-to-watch walkie-talkie mode.[26] This is the first version of watchOS to not support the first generation Apple Watch.
Auto detect workout and notification to turn off workout when done
New workouts: Yoga and Hiking
Pace Alerts and Cadence
Podcasts
New app for WatchOS
Stream your favorite podcasts on the go with Cellular Apple Watch
Walkie-Talkie
A new watchOS app that allows you to do FaceTime Audio calls similar to talking on a walkie-talkie
Siri
Watchface adds 3rd party access to Siri
Raise to speak. No longer need to say "Hey Siri" to activate
Integrates with shortcuts like "I am on my way home" and Siri will start playing your favorite playlist on the way home
Notifications
Grouped notifications
More actions you can do with Notifications
Can view webpages from iMessages
Do Not Disturb
Can schedule Do Not Disturb events when leaving a location or just for a specific time period
Student ID Cards
5.0.1
12.0
16R381/16R382
September 27, 2018; 10 months ago (2018-09-27)
Improvements and bug fixes
5.1
12.1
16R591
October 30, 2018; 9 months ago (2018-10-30)
Update withdrawn due to reports of Apple Watches no longer working after the update[28]
5.1.1
12.1
16R600
November 5, 2018; 9 months ago (2018-11-05)
Improvements and bug fixes
Addresses problem in WatchOS 5.1 update leading to non-functional Apple Watches.
Improvements to Series 4 automatic fall detection.
Resolves problem with completing setup of Walkie-Talkie.
Resolves problem with sending and receiving invitations for Walkie-Talkie.
Resolves missing earned Activity awards.
5.1.2
12.1.1
16S46
December 6, 2018; 8 months ago (2018-12-06)
New ECG app for Apple Watch Series 4 (US and US territories only)
Irregular rhythm notification (US and US territories only)
AFiB notification
Other improvements and bug fixes
5.1.3
12.1.3
16S535
January 22, 2019; 6 months ago (2019-01-22)
This update includes improvements and bug fixes.
5.2
12.2
16T225
March 27, 2019; 4 months ago (2019-03-27)
ECG app extended to Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK
Irregular rhythm notification extended to countries listed above
2nd gen AirPods support
Real-time text support for phone calls
5.2.1
12.3
16U113
May 13, 2019; 3 months ago (2019-05-13)
ECG app extended to Croatia, Czech, Iceland, Poland, and Slovakia
Irregular rhythm notification extended to countries listed above
New Pride watch face
Other bug fixes
5.3
12.4
16U569
July 22, 2019; 27 days ago (2019-07-22)
ECG app extended to Canada and Singapore
Irregular rhythm notification extended to countries listed above
Resolved: Security fix for Walkie-Talkie app that could enable the owner's iPhone to be eavesdropped[29]
Apple announced a new version of watchOS that will contain features such as App Store, a calculator with tip tools, an audiobooks app, and Apple's Voice Memos app.[30][31][32]
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